I just got back from the Nations Capital gun show that is running this weekend in Northern Virginia. This is the largest DC area gun show. I got there 75 minutes before they opened the doors (earlier than normal). When I got in the paid line, it stretched over 500 yards behind the expo building. By the time the doors opened at 3 PM, the line was twice as long. When I left at 5 PM, the line still stretched behind the building. This was probably 2X to 3X more crowded than the previous record crowd (for the show that was the weekend after Obama initially got elected).

Prices were insane. AR-15s were between $1800 and $3,000+ each. One seller had three stripped AR-15 lowers for $550 each. Semi-auto AK-47 variants were $1500 to $2000 each. .223 ammo was $1 per round (paid $389 for a 1000 rd case 2 weeks ago; going rate was $1000 per case at the show). AR-15 mags were typically $25 to $30 each; AK mags $15 (plastic) to $40 each. Magazines, ammo, and reloading supplies were selling well. So were pistols and to a lesser extent battle rifles but the insane prices seemed to curb demand.

The most interesting rumor was that the US government placed orders for 20+ million AR-15 / M4 / M16 bolt carrier group assembly parts from all of the major manufacturers in the US and that there is a shortage of AR-15 bolts.